Cal Fire Nevada-Yuba-Placer Unit transitions out of fire season

Recent rains and cooler temperatures across the region have lowered the threat of wildfires allowing Cal Fire's NEU Unit to transition out of fire season effective Dec. 10 in Nevada, Yuba, Placer and Sierra counties.

Due to drought like conditions that persisted throughout 2018 in California, Cal Fire continues to maintain staffing to meet any future threat, as well as having the ability to strategically move resources to areas that remain at a higher wildfire threat level. Cal Fire will also continue to monitor weather conditions closely and will maintain the ability to increase staffing should the weather conditions change or if there is a need to support wildfires and or any other emergencies in other areas of the state.

During the cooler winter months, Cal Fire will continue to actively focus efforts on fire prevention and fuels treatment activities as guided by the state's Strategic Fire Plan and localized unit fire plans. These will be done through public education, prescribed burns and various types of fuel reduction. These activities are aimed at reducing the impacts of large, damaging wildfires and improving overall forest health.

The year 2018 has been an extremely active fire year, even more so than in 2017. This year the state has seen the deadliest, the most destructive, the largest wildfire and most acres burned throughout the state in California's recorded history. Statewide, Cal Fire and firefighters from many local agencies battled over 6,228 wildfires within the State Responsibility Area that burned over 876,225 acres. This is over 650 more wildfires this year than normal. In the Nevada-Yuba-Placer Unit, Cal Fire responded to 364 wildfires that charred 2,361 acres.

Residents are urged to still take precautions outdoors to prevent sparking a wildfire. A leading cause of wildfires this time of year is from escaped landscape debris burning. Before you burn, ensure it's a permissive burn day by contacting the local air quality district and then make sure you have all required burn permits. During burning make sure that piles of landscape debris are no larger than four feet in diameter, provide a 10-foot clearance down to bare mineral soil around the burn pile, and a responsible adult in attendance always with a water source and a shovel.